Local churches provide spiritual support for many people in the community. But some church buildings are in a high level of disrepair, because of the age of the church building and structures on the property. It is not unusual that a church building, property, church yard, church hall, church annex and burial ground next to a church are hundreds of years old. The older age of a church definitely adds to a person’s idea of the aesthetics of the church and to the church’s overall charm. But older church buildings and structures have many hazards that are not found in a modern building. An older church building will have uneven floors, poor lighting, uneven tread on stairs, and often rickety fixtures in the building. This can be the cause of many people tripping and falling at a church. Additionally, some churches have poor local membership, and therefore do not have the money needed to keep the property and building upkeep the way it needs to be to keep everyone safe. When there are spills, wet flooring, torn carpeting or other hazards, many church institutions do not have someone around the church when needed to fix and repair these obstacles. People who come to the church can slip, trip and fall on:
- Uneven tread on stairs
- Rickety stairways
- Torn carpeting
- Changes in the flooring
- Poor lighting
- Narrow stairways
- Wet flooring
- Mold or moss on floor boards
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Premises Liability Applies to Churches Too
If you are injured at a church, that organization is still responsible for anyone injured on their property. Just because the church owns a building and not a for profit company, does not absolve the church from being fully responsible for someone who is injured or hurt on their property. The idea of premises liability means that if a slip and fall does occur on a property, that the owner and operator or maintenance company of that property will be responsible for the injuries of a person hurt in that way. This includes the sidewalk areas going up to the church on their property, and inside areas of the church, and any other burial grounds or parks adjacent to the church also under their umbrella of ownership.
Do Churches Have Proper Premises and Liability Insurance, Well, They Should!
If a person is injured from a slip and fall on the property at a church, an argument can be made that the personal injury should be covered by the church’s property or liability insurance. There are rules and laws related to premises insurance, and these are enforced by the authorities in charge with ensuring structures are properly insured. But if someone falls at a church it will be the responsibility of the church to make sure they have the adequate coverage for their insurance, to pay for the medical bills of someone who fell on their property. Unfortunately, if the church does not have the proper type of insurance, it may try to “sweep under the rug” any claim for personal injuries suffered on their property. But this isn’t right, is it? If you fell at a church and have medical bills from your personal injury, is it fair that you have to pay for these bills out of your own pocket?
Why Do People Feel “Guilty” for Suing Their Church for a Personal Injury Settlement?
Well, this is a sticky wicket indeed. Many people who are similarly injured at their church, or visiting another church are injured at the property, but are hesitant to bring them a medical bill for their personal injuries. People can fall down a flight of stairs at a commercial building, and “lawyer up” immediately, but when it comes to falling down the 100 year old stairs at their house of worship, the same individuals with the same injuries will prefer to not sue their church. Why is that, you might be asking? Well, the answer is complicated yet simple, because people have a personal relationship with their church, but not a personal relationship with a corporation.
“Help, I Was Seriously Injured in a Slip and Fall at My Church, But I Feel Guilty Bringing an Action Against My Church, What Should I Do Now?”
People in general know more people in a church, and feel a sense of guilt to have to ask for the reimbursement of their medical bills, even if they fall at church over a hazard that the church either missed to fix or created themselves at the church property. Yes, you can feel guilty that you are bringing an action against your church, but do you really want to just pay for your medical bills out of your own pocket? Knowing that you neither created the hazard at the church where you slipped and fell, nor did you have any responsibility for preventing the hazard at the church were you were injured – does this prevent you from recovering a compensation related to the church’s responsibility to keep you safe while you were on the premises? Since it is the responsibility of the church to keep the property safe, you can call us to review your claim when you slip and fall at a church. We are here 24/7, and can answer your questions when you call us today at the Normandie Law Firm at 800.790.5422.
Zero Fee Guarantee
We can offer to you a zero-fee guarantee, when you call us today at the Normandie Law Firm at 800.790.5422. That means that you do not have to pay us any money up front, before we will start working on your claim.
Free Second Opinion Case Review / Experienced Lawyers in a Slip and Fall on Church Property
You can have a free second opinion case review with our experienced attorneys who specialize in personal injuries from a slip and fall on church property. Call us today, to talk to an experienced attorney in Los Angeles about your medical bills from your accident slipping and falling at a church.
Can I Sue for a Slip and Fall on Church Property?
Yes, we can sue the church for a slip and fall that was experienced at the church property. You can call us today to talk to our Los Angeles case lawyers right now. We can file a lawsuit on your behalf, based on the merits of your claim. Just call us today at the Normandie Law Firm at 800.790.5422, to review your case for free with our case attorneys in Los Angeles.
Average Case Value of a Slip and Fall on Church Property
The average case value of a slip and fall on church property can be estimated based on the nature of the personal injuries. If you have had a serious personal injury, your recovery compensation can range from $100,000 to $1 million, depending on the severity of your injury, medical bills and lost wages. You can call us for a free consultation, and we can give you a better idea of your exact recovery compensation package.
How Long Does It Take to Settle and to Get Paid on These Cases?
It can take around 3-5 months to settle a slip and fall personal injury case against a church where you were injured. You may still be under your doctor’s orders for recovering from your personal injuries. That is fine, we can still start the process with you, to initiate a lawsuit based on the merits of your claim.
Statute Of Limitations – How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
The statute of limitations in California for personal injury lawsuit filing is two years. The statute of limitations in California for harassment and discrimination lawsuit filing is one year, with a two year timeframe to file for wrongful termination.
Call for a Free Consultation
You can call us now for a free consultation, if you are injured in a slip and fall accident on church property. In the case that you are injured by slipping and falling at any church that you have visited and sustained a personal injury, you can call us today, for a free review of your case.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
How Long Does It Take to Settle a Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Case?
Lawyer to Sue Catholic Church for Injuries
Gelson’s Market Slip and Fall Accident Injury Attorney
